Insurance Agency Insights

This is the first of five episodes focused on helping agency owners understand what's involved in acquiring a new agency in order to build their existing business. In this episode, Peter and Doug talk about how to approach, find, prepare for, and secure insurance agency acquisition financing. We're aware that agency owners may want to grow through acquisition, but they may not think they can afford it, or don't believe that they're eligible for funding. We want to walk you through how...

Peter and Kelly discuss SBA lending, the importance of finding the right borrower-lender fit, and the future of M&A and lending as the insurance industry enters an initial recovery phase from the COVID pandemic.

Peter and Doug are joined by Sam Patterson of Springtree Group to discuss how to execute an acquisition as a buyer or a seller, when to bring in third party facilitators (lawyers and accountants, for example), when acquisitions tend to happen through a normal year, the impact that COVID has had on the M+A market and pricing, and the outlook for the insurance industry in a post-COVID world.

With the unforeseen pandemic we find ourselves in today, Peter and Doug discuss what agencies should know about working with a lender. Peter explains the criteria that lenders use in considering whether to make a loan, and how the criteria change in an economic downturn. He also shares information about how agency owners can best prepare their businesses for borrowing, in case they need funding during the coming months.

In this first episode, Peter is joined by Doug Burke, investment banker and advisor to the insurance industry, to discuss the US economy during this pandemic period and how it impacts the insurance agency industry in particular. There are some potential positives for insurance, as it tends to be a "recession muted" industry. And there are some potential downsides, as some sectors of insurance are more economically fragile. Peter shares insights into the possible timing of a recovery, and thou...